history.htm

<html>

<head>
<title>History</title>
<meta name="GENERATOR" content="Microsoft FrontPage 4.0">


<meta name="Microsoft Border" content="none, default">
</head>

<body background="_borders/plywood.jpg">

<p align="center"><u><big><big><big><strong>&nbsp;</strong></big></big></big></u></p>

<p align="center"><u><big><big><big><strong>HISTORY</strong></big></big></big></u></p>
<font SIZE="3"><b>

<p ALIGN="CENTER">Paul First Visited in 1939</b></p>

<p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">&nbsp;</p>

<p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">When the Fort Bragg Chamber of Commerce decided to have the
&quot;Return of Paul Bunyan&quot; in 1939, they started a tradition that has lasted 59
years.</p>

<p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Things were much different then. Life was simpler, and much more
forgiving. People were arrested on the street and thrown in jail for not having a mustache
or beard. If enough people thought it was a good idea, you may get dunked in a water
trough. Mayor Dixon proclaimed that a whiskerino contest would be held, and all the wives
should put up with the whiskers until they were nice and soft and there would be no
grounds for a kick! A parade of 100 cars and trucks, painted up with Paul Bunyan slogans,
made a trip to San Francisco, and were given a key to the city by the mayor in ceremonies
at the Golden Gate Bridge.</p>

<p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">That first years manager was &quot;Oily&quot; Johnson, who was given an
office on Main Street and paid $150. per month for two months. Our first Paul Bunyan was
Charlie Buck, a 6'6&quot; logger, born at Little River in 1904. Charlie was always big,
reaching 6'4&quot; by the time he was 15. At one time he weighed almost 300 lbs. In 1976
Charlie Buck was Grand Marshall in the Paul Bunyan days parade at the age of 72. He was
followed by Marion Sverko, Chet Shandel, and later by his nephew Norm Shandel, who still
carries the big axe to all the Paul Bunyan events.</p>

<p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The townspeople really got into the spirit for many years, putting
redwood bark on some of the buildings to make them look old, everyone dressing in old
clothes and growing beards and mustaches. Everyone built floats, many decorated with
ferns, tree boughs and flowers. Parts of the celebration lasted for over a month, and the
actual event lasted for four days.</p>

<p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The celebration was a success, and continued in good health until the
United States entered the war two months after the 1941 celebration. The next four years
found the U.S. at war, and Paul Bunyan days were curtailed. In 1946 the Labor Day
festivities resumed, however, because the Chamber of Commerce did not co-ordinate the
regular Paul Bunyan Days in time, the local businessmen grouped together and put on what
was advertized as a Paul Bunyan Junior Days celebration. In 1947 the celebration was put
on by the American Legion, with Thomas O&#146; Bailey Jr. appointed to the high office of
&quot;Judge&quot; of the Kangaroo Kort, taking place during the 4th of July. The regular
celebrations continued through 1960, but skipped two years for lack of support. In 1963
the event was again started, and has been going strong ever since.</p>

<p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Part of the credit for its success goes to Gertrude White, who was the
driving force behind the celebration almost since its start. During the first celebration
in 1939 she allowed the committee to build a rodeo grounds on her property north of town.
After that she continued to get more involved, eventually taking over the reins with Frank
Hyman when the Chamber of Commerce discontinued their sponsorship in 1968. Gertrude
continued to lead the Association until 1994.</p>

<p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">In 1995 the Paul Bunyan Days committee was revitalized once more, with
new people and energy, bringing back some of the events that had been lost over the years.
Each year brings even more new events, and a hope that the Paul Bunyan days tradition will
never end.</p>

<p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Paul &amp; babe spend their winters in Comptche, to avoid the bitter
cold back east. We are lucky to have them here for our Labor Day activities, and welcome
them to the Paul Bunyan Days celebration in Fort Bragg.</font></p>

<p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">&nbsp;
</body>
</html>
	<html>

	<head>
	<title>History</title>
	<meta name="GENERATOR" content="Microsoft FrontPage 4.0">



	<meta name="Microsoft Border" content="none, default">
	</head>

	<body background="_borders/plywood.jpg">

	<p align="center"><u><big><big><big><strong> </strong></big></big></big></u></p>

	<p align="center"><u><big><big><big><strong>HISTORY</strong></big></big></big></u></p>
	<font SIZE="3"><b>

	<p ALIGN="CENTER">Paul First Visited in 1939</b></p>

	<p ALIGN="JUSTIFY"> </p>

	<p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">When the Fort Bragg Chamber of Commerce decided to have the
	"Return of Paul Bunyan" in 1939, they started a tradition that has lasted 59
	years.</p>

	<p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Things were much different then. Life was simpler, and much more
	forgiving. People were arrested on the street and thrown in jail for not having a mustache
	or beard. If enough people thought it was a good idea, you may get dunked in a water
	trough. Mayor Dixon proclaimed that a whiskerino contest would be held, and all the wives
	should put up with the whiskers until they were nice and soft and there would be no
	grounds for a kick! A parade of 100 cars and trucks, painted up with Paul Bunyan slogans,
	made a trip to San Francisco, and were given a key to the city by the mayor in ceremonies
	at the Golden Gate Bridge.</p>

	<p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">That first years manager was "Oily" Johnson, who was given an
	office on Main Street and paid $150. per month for two months. Our first Paul Bunyan was
	Charlie Buck, a 6'6" logger, born at Little River in 1904. Charlie was always big,
	reaching 6'4" by the time he was 15. At one time he weighed almost 300 lbs. In 1976
	Charlie Buck was Grand Marshall in the Paul Bunyan days parade at the age of 72. He was
	followed by Marion Sverko, Chet Shandel, and later by his nephew Norm Shandel, who still
	carries the big axe to all the Paul Bunyan events.</p>

	<p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The townspeople really got into the spirit for many years, putting
	redwood bark on some of the buildings to make them look old, everyone dressing in old
	clothes and growing beards and mustaches. Everyone built floats, many decorated with
	ferns, tree boughs and flowers. Parts of the celebration lasted for over a month, and the
	actual event lasted for four days.</p>

	<p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The celebration was a success, and continued in good health until the
	United States entered the war two months after the 1941 celebration. The next four years
	found the U.S. at war, and Paul Bunyan days were curtailed. In 1946 the Labor Day
	festivities resumed, however, because the Chamber of Commerce did not co-ordinate the
	regular Paul Bunyan Days in time, the local businessmen grouped together and put on what
	was advertized as a Paul Bunyan Junior Days celebration. In 1947 the celebration was put
	on by the American Legion, with Thomas O Bailey Jr. appointed to the high office of
	"Judge" of the Kangaroo Kort, taking place during the 4th of July. The regular
	celebrations continued through 1960, but skipped two years for lack of support. In 1963
	the event was again started, and has been going strong ever since.</p>

	<p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Part of the credit for its success goes to Gertrude White, who was the
	driving force behind the celebration almost since its start. During the first celebration
	in 1939 she allowed the committee to build a rodeo grounds on her property north of town.
	After that she continued to get more involved, eventually taking over the reins with Frank
	Hyman when the Chamber of Commerce discontinued their sponsorship in 1968. Gertrude
	continued to lead the Association until 1994.</p>

	<p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">In 1995 the Paul Bunyan Days committee was revitalized once more, with
	new people and energy, bringing back some of the events that had been lost over the years.
	Each year brings even more new events, and a hope that the Paul Bunyan days tradition will
	never end.</p>

	<p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Paul & babe spend their winters in Comptche, to avoid the bitter
	cold back east. We are lucky to have them here for our Labor Day activities, and welcome
	them to the Paul Bunyan Days celebration in Fort Bragg.</font></p>

	<p ALIGN="JUSTIFY">
	</body>
	</html>